“Another needle, Patricia,” Nita said.
Porky shrugged.
“We’ve determined that there were drug users in the house prior to us, Neet. Cataloging every needle doesn’t make it somehow worse. Ten needles or thirty-five, we knew the neighborhood and the structure came with some risks.”
Nita pulled on another set of rubber gloves under her gardening gloves and looked down at the box of pig tchotchkes Patricia’s friend got her as gifts.
Nita hated the nickname but loved the person. She wondered if she would have been as interested in Patricia at the seminar if her nametag had said Porky.
They had bought the house sight unseen, super cheap, at the tax auction. Walking distance from the trendy near eastside bar and boutique district, but definitely not in the trendy district.
The bonus was that it was brick and it was next to a cemetery, so they wouldn’t be surrounded with any ugly new builds when the neighborhood did come back.
Nita didn’t want to let on that she was scared, but her apprehension was shining through every time she opened her mouth.
She was silent for a while as she cleaned, wishing Patricia had left her boxes in the truck instead of creating obstacles.
Always in the back of her mind was the thought that they were rushing the relationship.
Nita was in love, but...this had been fast.
“I wonder how addicts pick houses to occupy to do their drugs. I mean...it’s certainly not based on architecture, right? I’m a sheltered suburban girl, I never thought about this kind of…”
Nita realized Patricia wasn’t in the room.
“Patricia?”
No answer.
Nita stood up straight and looked out front. Patricia hadn’t gone to the truck. The door was still closed and locked. The neighborhood to the south looked deserted. Other houses, mostly frame, were only sporadically occupied. They hadn’t met any neighbors in their brief time at the new place.
“Patricia!”
It was an acting job for Nita to keep the fright out of her voice.
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